(19)
(11) EP 0 347 109 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
16.08.1990 Bulletin 1990/33

(43) Date of publication A2:
20.12.1989 Bulletin 1989/51

(21) Application number: 89305818.0

(22) Date of filing: 09.06.1989
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4: B41J 9/127, B41J 9/04, B41J 25/316
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 14.06.1988 US 206555

(71) Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
Rochester New York 14644 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Waibel, Helmut K.
    Fremont California 94536 (US)

(74) Representative: Goode, Ian Roy et al
Rank Xerox Ltd Patent Department Parkway
Marlow Buckinghamshire SL7 1YL
Marlow Buckinghamshire SL7 1YL (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Impact mechanism for impact printer


    (57) An impact mechanism for use in an impact printer, to deliver a printing force to drive a character element 22 against a platen 10 by means of a print tip 18 movable toward and away from the platen. A rockable bail bar 26 having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the axis of the platen is constrained to limited angular movement toward and away from the platen by a prime mover 27 connected to the bail bar. A push rod 30 interconnects the print tip 18 and the bail bar 26 for delivering impact forces to the platen 10 as the bail bar is moved toward the platen. The push rod is normally coupled 28, 34, 36 to the bail bar for delivering impact forces to the platen and may be decoupled from the bail bar for drawing the print tip away from the platen so as to allow the character element 22 to be removed. A decoupling mechanism 54, 62 is provided to lift the push rod off of the bail bar and to recouple it to the bail bar as required.







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